France Telecom slow to make payment for TPSA stake

France Telecom slow to make payment for TPSA stake France Telecom (FT) is dragging its feet over payment for the stake in Telekomunikacja Polska S.A. (TPSA). Allegedly FT has joined the other telecom operators Centertel, Polkomtel and Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa (PTC) to convince the Telecommunications Ministry to issue fewer than the planned five third generation telecom licenses (UMTS). When the deal for the sale of a 35% stake in TPSA to a consortium of FT and Kulczyk Holding was signed in July, the transaction was to be concluded by the end of September. Currency dealers say France Telecom has already exchanged the money but the deal still not been completed. According to unofficial information FT officials met on Tuesday with the Treasury and Finance Ministry representatives to discuss the conditions and timing of the payment, which will most likely be in the first half of October. (Rzeczpospolita, page A1, B2)